General Information  

• Area: 27 859 km2 (1/20 of France)
• Population: about 8 millions inhabitants
• 95% blacks – 4% mulattos – 1% other
• Growth rate and density among the most elevated of the American continent (Density 234 inhab/Km2)
• Farming population: 65 to 75%
• Mountainous country: 2/3 of the territory
• Tropical climate
• Languages: Creole 100% (every Haitian speaks Creole)
• 10 to 15% also speak French
• Currency: Gourde; 24 Gourdes = 1 US dollar (April 2001)

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Socioeconomic indications  

• GDP 226 USD
• Illiteracy: 55%
• Infantile mortality 87/1000
• Life expectancy: Man 52,8 woman 56,1
• 1 physician for 7143 inhabitants
• Rate of unemployment in the cities 70%
• Exports: 73 millions of dollars (1994)
• Imports: 292 millions of dollars (1994)
• External Debt: 1048 millions of dollars (2000, UNDP)
• Service of the debt in relation to the exports: 45%
• Inflation: 20.6% (1997)
• Growth rate: -5%

Haiti is classified as the poorest country of the American continent and as one of the poorest in the world. According to the World Bank, the negative growth rate of the last decades is only comparable to countries in state of war", yet Haiti has known no recent war.

Brief Haitian History and Economy  

• Haiti obtained its independence January 1^st, 1804 following a war led by black slaves against Napoleon Bonaparte, one of the most powerful armies that the world had known.
• Haiti was the second country of the Americas to win its independence. First was The United States which maintained the slavery system at the time.
• First Black Republic of the world and practically the only case in the history of humanity of a nation founded from a victorious slaves revolution. Haiti was isolated during a lengthy period of the 19^th century by all proslavery and colonialist States.
• At the eve of the slaves’ revolt, the colony named "Saint Domingue", produced 60% of the world’s coffee and 40% of sugar imported by France and England. It was one of the most prosperous colonies of France.
• In spite of the efforts of the first Haitian leaders to reestablish the big sugar plantations, the ex-slaves refused to turn themselves into farm workers.
• To escape this new type of slavery, the free slaves progressively took possession of the mountainous land and transformed them into an effective agriculture located around domestic farmers exploitations.
• The peasant agriculture was going to know its best time during the 1860s. At that time, Haiti exported more coffee than at the colony’s era.
• A bargain economy provisioned with coffee and cocoa produced by the peasants for export, develops itself in the big cities (the ports). On the other hand, the peasants stock manufactured goods.The peasantry, taxed everywhere and incapable of renewing the set system, after several attempts of revolt, enters into a crisis, which lasts until now.
• Like many other Latin American countries the United States of America occupied Haiti in 1915. This occupation will last 19 years.
• Despite a large influx of technology the US will not be able to defeat the socio-cultural resistance of the Haitian peasants, which makes up 80% of the population. They will not be able to modernize the agrarian system and reintegrate the large plantations.
• However the US will leave behind a new army, which will defend its interests during the 20^th century by providing a strong hold in the political system.
• After a long period of political instability, the Duvalier dictatorship will begin in 1957 and will maintain for 29 years a reign of terror while stagnating the economy.
• In 1978 during the Duvalier regime, the African Pork Plague is discovered in the Dominican Republic and quickly spreads across the border into the Republic of Haiti. Fearing for their industries, the US, Canada and Mexico pressure local authorities to slaughter all of the island’s swine.
• This is the greatest disaster to fall upon the Haitian farmer and it will break the fragile balance of the agrarian system of peasant subsistence. From this moment on, there will be an accelerated loss of capital in agricultural industry with immediate consequences such as a rural exodus and accelerated deforestation.
• During all these years, the democratic opposition did not rest. A group effort lead by leftist political organizations, independent journalists, and a prominent sector of the Catholic Church, coupled with a deterioration of the population’s way of life provoked the demise of the Duvalier Regime.
• During the next five years, the country will undergo political instability, a struggle pinning the beneficiaries of the Duvalier Regime weakened yet supported by the army and a small oligarchy against the rest of society, peasants, the unemployed, workers in large cities, intellectuals and students grouped in different organizations throughout the society.
• In 1990, faced with the imminent return to power of the Duvalierists, these organizations throughout the society unite to propel the catholic priest Jean Bertrand Aristide as a candidate and win the elections undisputedly.
• The civil community finds itself in power without preparation or political party.
• Seven months later the first democratic government in the history of Haiti is overthrown and the country will again find itself under military rule for another three years.
• In 1994, after having spent three years in exile in Washington D.C. and after negotiations and the exemplary resistance of the Haitian people, Aristide is reinstated through a military intervention orchestrated by the USA. The armed forces of Haiti are dissolved.
• Despite a return to constitutional order, the economic, social and political situation will continue to deteriorate.
• In 1996, Rene Preval, Aristide’s collaborator, assumes the presidency.
• Once again, members of civil organizations find themselves in key roles in public administration and occupy important political positions. Power corrupts and division sets in. Numerous leaders are destroyed by the system.
• 2001: After controversial elections, Jean Bertrand Aristide backed by a strong parliamentary majority, is again in power for another term.
• 2004: After several months of popular demonstrations and pressures exerted by the international community, especially by France, the USA and Canada, Aristide went into exile. He was escorted from the country by US soldiers on February 29, 2004. Armed forces consisting of opponents and former soldiers who controlled the north of the country had threatened to attack the capital Port-au-Prince.
• Boniface Alexandre, president of the Supreme Court , assumed interim authority.
• In February 2006, following elections marked by uncertainties and thanks to the support of popular demonstrations, René Préval, former president of the Republic of Haiti between 1995 and 2000, was elected

Political Organization of The Republic Of Haiti

A president who is elected to a 5-year term governs Haiti. The president may only have two non-sequential terms. Parliament consists of two houses and a prime minister runs the government.

The country is divided into nine departments, 137 townships and 565 local districts

In each district there is an elected Administrative Board and a local assembly. A mayor and a municipal assembly head each township. Each department has a departmental assembly and there is also an interdepartmental assembly.

The great innovation of the constitution of 1987 is the creation of assemblies in each district as counter parts to the Boards of Directors and the Mayors’ offices.